Disclaimers - See Part 1 for disclaimers.

Chapter Fourteen

Rhi tried not to look too obvious as she kept a surreptitious watch on her boss. Marika was in her office, working her way through a stack of mail that her assistant had just placed on her desk. There was a large manila envelope on the bottom of the pile that was causing cartwheels in the young woman's stomach.

When she saw her boss pick up that envelope to open, Rhi dropped her eyes to her computer and tried to concentrate on the letter she was drafting. She deliberately kept her eyes on the screen even when she sensed her boss walking towards her. It was only when a soft, awe-filled voice spoke that she finally looked up.

"Rhi, this is absolutely amazing! Did you do this yourself?" Marika held a sheet of fine vellum as carefully as she'd have cradled a Faberge egg. When Rhiannon nodded shyly, her boss gave a low whistle. "You are an incredibly talented artist."

The lawyer studied the charcoal drawing of her smiling down at Spooky curled up in her lap. Deceptively simple, it portrayed her in a natural, relaxed pose, a fond smile lighting her face at her pet's presence. Rhiannon had captured the moment perfectly, right down to the long, slender fingers caressing thick fur. Signed and dated in the bottom right corner, it read simply: Thank you, Rhi.

"When?" Marika still stared at the drawing, shaking her head in amazement. Looking up, she interrogated her assistant with wondering eyes.

"Um, the last couple of nights at home." In truth, Rhiannon had gone to an art supply store on her Monday lunch hour and picked out the finest sheet of paper she could find, along with tissue to preserve the charcoal. She'd always had an eidetic memory for images, able to reproduce them long after she'd stored them in her brain; and it was child's play for her to draw such a realistic depiction of Marika and Spooky from memory. "I just wanted to say thank you for all your kindness last week."

"It really was my pleasure," Marika assured her, "but this is incredible. I love it, and I'm going to take it in for framing on my lunch hour."

Rhiannon flushed at the praise, and unable to meet the frankly admiring gaze any longer, stared down at her hands. "Glad you like it," she mumbled.

"Oh I much more than like it." Obviously deciding to take pity on her reticent assistant, she changed the subject. "So do you think you're ready for the test today?"

Relieved, Rhi looked up and nodded. "Uh huh. I think I've memorized that book from cover to cover." With a little grin she challenged, "What is the minimum stopping distance at a hundred km/h under normal driving conditions?"

Marika rolled her eyes and laughed. "Trust me, Rhi. The vast majority of experienced drivers wouldn't stand a hope in hell of passing a learner's test."

Smugly, Rhi informed her, "108 metres. How many demerit points do you get for exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/h but less than 50 km/h?"

"I'm sure Lee could tell you that one," Marika said dryly. She chuckled, and turned back to her office. Rhi could have sworn she heard an affectionately muttered, "Brat," before the lawyer disappeared into her sanctuary.

The rest of the morning was taken up with appointments that had been postponed from the previous week, and it was past one before the women could leave for lunch. Rhi smiled as she saw her boss carrying the manila envelope on her way out. She'd declined Marika's invitation to accompany her downstairs, preferring to go through her study book one last time.

By the time the assistant returned to the office, the lawyer was already back at her desk. As soon as Marika saw her enter, she hurried out to meet her.

"Well?"

Rhi grinned at the eager woman. "94%. You're looking at a duly licenced learner."

"All right! Well done, Rhi! So would you like to go driving this weekend?"

"Um, yeah, if you have the time that is."

"I think I can make time for such an important project," Marika teased, gray eyes twinkling. "Listen, since we're going to the game tonight anyway, why don't you let me take you to dinner first? We'll celebrate."

Rhiannon glanced at her gym bag doubtfully. "I only brought casual clothes with me for after work."

"So we'll do casual," the lawyer said firmly. "We can't let such an auspicious occasion go by unmarked. Why don't we go to the Pied Piper downstairs and then head over to the ball field? Oh, and I want to change your dressing before we go, too."

"Okay." That settled, Rhiannon slid behind her desk and ordered herself to get her mind back on her job. It was difficult. Between the delight of passing her test, the pleasure of having her gift so well received, and the anticipation of the evening, her mind stubbornly refused to settle down. Closing her eyes for a moment, she let the day's exhilaration wash away the nastiness of the past two days since she'd returned to her aunt's house.

She'd had Marika drop her off in the back alley again on Sunday, but Hettie was still waiting for her when she opened the rear door of the house. The moment Rhi set foot in the house, the interrogation and remonstrations began.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in."

She'd tried to muster up some guilt over enjoying Marika's soft, gentle touches, but failed miserably. Then she'd accused herself of becoming a hedonistic little piggie, but her conscience stubbornly refused to kick in. It had taken a real act of will to take her leave of the woman, and now she found herself keenly looking forward each morning to arriving in the office.

Opening her eyes again, Rhiannon sternly bade herself to focus and concentrate on finishing the second draft of the Leung deposition. For all her inner admonitions though, she still couldn't banish the tiny smile lurking on her face.

*****************************************************

Rhi examined the scene before her curiously as Marika wheeled the Lexus into a parking spot. The dusty lot edged a large community recreational complex, with tennis courts, a soccer pitch, and the ball diamond that was their destination. The young woman could see two teams clustered around their respective dugouts, and picked out Dana and Lee without any difficulty.

Climbing out of the car, Rhi asked, "What position does Dana play?"

Marika walked around to join her. "She's sort of their utility player. Fills in wherever she's needed. Right now I think she's playing shortstop because their regular infielder is pregnant."

Rhi glanced up curiously as they headed towards the diamond. "Did you ever play?"

The lawyer laughed. "I'm afraid you could measure my athletic ability in sub-atomic degrees. No, I just like watching."

"What about Lee? Does she play too?"

"She used to, but she blew her knee out in a bike accident so she had to join me in the rooting section. What about you? Did you ever play?"

"Just in school. I wasn't very good."

Marika gave her a little nudge and smiled. "Well, what's a game without a cheering section, right? They need us!"

Rhi grinned back. "Good point, boss."

As they approached the clusters of women, Marika suggested, "Why don't we wish Dana good luck and then find some seats?"

Her assistant nodded and followed closely behind. They came to an abrupt halt when a dark-haired woman stepped into their path. She was wearing the same uniform as Dana was—blue and white with bright red lettering that read Oly's. Angry brown eyes glared at Marika.

"What are you doing here?"

Rhi looked at her boss curiously. The lawyer sighed and said, "Val, I'm not looking for trouble. We just came to watch the game."

Val fixed her hostile gaze on the younger woman. "Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into, kid? If I were you, I'd run from this bitch as fast and far as I could in the opposite direction!"

Before Rhi could utter any of the indignant words that surged to mind, a gentle hand rested on her lower back and a strong arm settled over Marika's shoulders. A low, familiar voice growled, "Are you having some sort of problem with my friends, Val?"

Relieved, Rhiannon looked up into Lee's stern features as the big woman eyed their interrogator. Val tried to hold the cool hazel gaze that pinned her, but failing, spun on her heel and stalked away.

Marika turned to Lee. "Thanks. I was afraid that would happen." Looking at Rhiannon, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Rhi."

"Not your fault," Rhi insisted as she let Lee steer her towards the stands.

Once they were settled, the lawyer said sadly, "Actually it is, but I thought she'd be over it by now."

"Val's not one to let bygone be bygones," Lee rumbled disapprovingly.

Rhi glanced between the two curiously. With a rueful smile, Marika explained, "Ex-lover."

The younger woman nodded her understanding, and looked over to where Val was leaning against the backstop, still glowering at Marika. She cocked her head, analyzing the woman and wondering what her boss had seen in her.

"Lady Mouse," Lee whispered. "You're staring."

Rhi flushed, but said, "So is she."

Both older women chuckled. Lee leaned closer. "But we have better manners than she does, don't we?" She gave Rhiannon a quick pat on the knee, then looked up to greet a woman edging down the aisle toward them.

"Hi, Jan. Want to sit with us?"

Rhi felt Marika stiffen for a moment beside her, and then relax as she said, "Yes, please join us, Jan."

Rhiannon studied the newcomer. She was slightly taller than Rhi herself, with auburn hair, dark green eyes and freckles. A warm, friendly smile lit her face, and the young woman found herself instinctively liking the stranger.

Lee leaned back, and gesturing between the two women, said, "Jan Spencer, this is Rhiannon Davies."

Jan reached across Lee and offered her hand, which Rhi shook firmly. "Hi, Rhiannon. Very nice to meet you."

"You too."

Marika rested her slender arms on her legs and past her friends. "I thought you were the equipment manager, Jan."

Lee snorted, and Jan laughed. "I was, up until Danny discovered that Judy and Patrick's daughter, Tammy, was helping me out."

"The boy's in love," Lee said, shaking her head. "All we hear at home is Tammy this and Tammy that."

"And who am I to stand in the path of young love?" Jan smiled, nodding her head at where the two teenagers stood in the end of the home team's dugout. They stood holding opposite sides of the bat bag, their eyes only for each other.

"Uh huh. Didn't have anything to do with Danny promising to cut your lawn for a month, did it?" Lee asked with a grin.

"What can I say? I can be bribed."

The women laughed, and Rhi found herself joining in, enjoying the easy-going banter.

Dana's team took the field, and the game was on. Marika gave Rhiannon a quick overview of the players.

"Jan's partner, Terry is playing third. Dana's got shortstop tonight. Natalie's on second, and Robyn is catching. Her partner, Lisa, is their regular shortstop. She's the pregnant lady keeping score in the dugout. And of course, you've already met Val on first." The two women grimaced wryly at each other. "Gale's in right field, and Judy's in left. Her husband, Patrick, is their manager." Shaking her head, Marika added, "I don't know the pitcher or centre fielder. Lee?"

"Yeah, they're new this year. Laurie Attfield is pitching, and the centre fielder is AJ Darcy. She's the one I said had an arm like a cannon."

"She can really belt them into the ozone too," Jan added, but Rhi noticed the redhead's eyes rarely strayed from the tall, dark-haired woman at third.

"She's a great addition to the team," Lee agreed. "I think she's a firefighter or something."

Jan confirmed that. "Uh huh. She can't always make it because of her shift, but we haven't lost a game yet when she's playing."

Marika murmured her acknowledgement, and Rhi frowned slightly as she saw her boss studying the centre fielder closely. She followed the direction of the lawyer's intense gaze and examined the firefighter's athletic form. The woman was as tall as Lee, and while not as broad except across the shoulders, had a look of strength and speed about her. Rhiannon couldn't see her features under the shade of the ball cap snugged down over her forehead, but she had to admit that in some circles, the woman probably rated a second glance.

Just not her second glance! The petulant thought shocked her, and Rhi reminded herself firmly that it was none of her business. Doesn't matter to me if she wants to ogle some overgrown, muscle-bound, fatheaded firefighter.

For a moment, the lustre of an unprecedented evening out with friends dimmed, but then Marika turned her attention back on her assistant, and with a smile began filling Rhi in on the team's performance the previous year when they'd finished third in the league's play-off tournament.

When the top of the inning ended scoreless and the home team trotted in for their at-bats, Dana detoured to the fence and called up to her lover, "Hey, Lee. Patrick wants to know if you'll coach third."

Lee nodded, and with a big grin, bounded down the stairs and out onto the field to take up her position by third.

"I think she misses playing," Jan suggested with a smile as she slid over into Lee's vacated seat.

"Oh yeah, that she does," Marika agreed. "But with everything that happened last year, it was probably better that she couldn't play."

Jan nodded her understanding, but Rhi looked at her boss questioningly. Marika sighed and considered her words.

"Dana had...a health scare last year that kept her from playing. It was the first year both of them couldn't play, but things worked out all right."

Worried, Rhi studied Marika's face.

"Really, she's fine now," Marika assured her. "I'll tell you about it some other time, okay? Right now we've got some cheering to do."

Rhi turned her troubled gaze to the field, acceding to Marika's desire to leave the issue for later, but still concerned for the nurse she'd come to regard as her friend.

Leading off, Terry stepped up to the plate, and after taking a ball inside that had Jan glaring at the pitcher, rapped a clean single to left field. The redhead was instantly on her feet cheering loudly. When Terry held up at first, she sat down again, looking somewhat sheepishly at her grinning companions.

Marika chuckled. "That's okay, Jan. We all know who Terry's biggest fan is."

Rhi laughed as the redhead blushed, but didn't deny it. Turning her attention back to the field, she saw Val step up to the plate. "Boo," she muttered under her breath, and drew a mildly reproachful grin from her boss. She shrugged. The first baseman had incurred her enmity by attacking her friend, and she wasn't about to pretend otherwise.

Much to Rhiannon's private delight, Val went down swinging on a full count, but Terry managed to steal second. Natalie stepped up next and flied out to centre on the first pitch. That brought the tall firefighter to the plate batting clean up.

Rhi stole a look from the corner of her eye and frowned to see her boss' attention fixed intently on the batter, who'd paused to take a couple more warm up swings before stepping into the box.

The firefighter coolly waited out the first two pitches, and then with a smooth, powerful swing, gave the third a ride right out the park. Her teammates whooped with delight as she took a deliberate jog around the bases. Terry waited for her at home, her hand raised in salute as the centre fielder crossed the plate. Palms met, and Terry draped her arm over broad shoulders as they headed for the dugout. Rhi glanced over at Jan, but the redhead was smiling in delight as she and Marika clapped loudly.

Show off! That pitcher just sucks. Rhi didn't voice her less than charitable thought, but her applause was perfunctory.

Gale grounded out to short, and the home team returned to the field. The game proceeded quickly, with the score remaining 2-0 in favour of Oly's. The firefighter had prevented a sure two runs for the opposition with an incredible diving catch in the top of the fifth, and had then stolen home while Dana was up in the seventh for an insurance run. The game ended in a 3-0 victory, and the team was in a great mood as loud plans were made to congregate at Oly's pub.

Rhi followed Jan and Marika down the steps, hanging back a bit as they approached the victorious team. The redhead rushed up to Terry, who laughingly pulled her into a tight hug.

"Good game, love," Jan told her, brushing sweaty curls back off her partner's forehead.

"Thanks, sweetheart. Good thing we had Darcy though, or we might have blown it in the fifth." Terry looked over Jan's shoulder and smiled at Marika's approach. "Hey, good to see you out here! Are you coming to Oly's with us?"

Marika nodded, and drew Rhi forward. "Terry, I don't think you've met my friend, Rhiannon Davies. Rhi, this is Terry Sanderson."

Terry raised an eyebrow in frank interest, then chuckled as Marika gave her head a subtly exasperated shake. Letting go of Jan long enough to extend her hand, Terry said, "Good to meet you, Rhiannon."

Rhi smiled shyly and shook her hand. Lee and Dana joined them, and the young woman listened quietly as plans were made to head over to the pub. She noticed the firefighter leaving with a group of admirers, and was unaccountably relieved to see her go. Maybe she has to go to work and can't go to Oly's.

Her hopeful thoughts were interrupted as Dana said, "Right, then we'll all meet there. We have to go tear Danny away from Tammy and drop him home first, so save us a couple of chairs."

The women dispersed, and Rhi walked with Marika back to the car. She rolled her right shoulder several times, and the lawyer frowned.

"Is it bothering you?"

"Itchy. It's driving me nuts not being able to scratch it!" Rhi complained mildly, aware that it was a good sign, but still aggravated by it.

They'd reached the Lexus, and Rhi waited for her door to be unlocked. She heard the click of the automatic unlocking system, but was intercepted before she could get in. Wordlessly, Marika laid one steadying hand on her left shoulder and began gently rubbing around the wound, using the dressing for soft friction without directly touching the stitches.

Rhi groaned in pleasure at the relief, letting her head drop in sheer pleasure. "God, that feels good!" she moaned.

The lawyer chuckled and kept up the indirect scratching for another few minutes. Then releasing her assistant, she stepped back and asked, "Better?"

"And how!" Rhi said fervently as she turned to face her friend. "Thank you!" Marika smiled and rounded the car to her side.

Rhi was about to slide into her seat when she noticed an old silver Toyota pulling out of a space one row over, with Terry grinning widely at her from the driver's seat and Jan smiling indulgently in the passenger's seat. She blinked in puzzlement and then, with a tiny shrug, got into the Lexus.

"Have you ever been to Oly's?" Marika asked, as she navigated out of the parking lot.

"I've never been to any bar."

The lawyer gave a short whistle. "Okay. Are you sure you want to go, because we don't have to, you know?"

"No, I don't mind. Besides, Lee and Dana are counting on us to save them seats."

Marika laughed. "You're right, they are; and it wouldn't do to let them down."

They found a parking spot two streets over from Oly's; walking over to the pub, Rhi shook her head in utter amazement. She was going to a bar with friends. A month ago, the very concept would have been as foreign to her as boarding a shuttle for space.

She followed Marika through Oly's heavy front door, looking around curiously as they entered. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but the pub was clean and cool, albeit with a smoky haze in the air. Most of the noise in the bar was coming from a back corner of the common room where the team had pulled several tables together and was making good inroads on pitchers of draft.

Terry beckoned them over and pointed at two chairs across from her and Jan. "Hey, you two, we saved you some seats."

Rhi was grateful to see that Val was at the far end of the table, huddled with the blonde pitcher, Laurie. Furtively she glanced around, but didn't see the firefighter. Smiling now, she took the seat beside Marika and across from Jan.
Then, concerned, she asked, "What about Lee and Dana? Shouldn't we save them some seats?"

"Not a problem," Terry said, bouncing to her feet. "We'll just add another table for them." She went to drag another small table over, and Rhi jumped up to help her. They slid it into place, and Terry winked at her with a grin before resuming her seat and slipping her arm around her partner.

A waiter came up and set a clean, damp glass in front of Marika. Turning to Rhi, he said, "Sorry, miss, I have to see some ID."

Rhi flushed, but pulled her wallet out of her pocket and dug out her birth certificate.

He looked at it, and said, "Got anything with a picture on it? A driver's license?"

Marika looked at him. "She works for me, Solly. I can guarantee she's over the age of majority."

Shrugging, he apologized, "Sorry, Marika, but you know Megan's rules."

Rhiannon pulled out her bus pass and sighed with relief when it was deemed acceptable. A clean glass was placed before her too, and Jan reached across the table to fill both newcomers' glasses.

"You work for Marika?" Terry asked curiously.

"She's Marian's replacement," the lawyer explained, taking a sip of her draft. Smiling at Rhi, she added, "And a darned fine one too!"

Rhi lowered her eyes, but couldn't help the blush of pleasure at her boss' heartfelt words. She picked up the cool, sweating glass and took a cautious sip. Grimacing at the taste, she looked up quickly to see if anyone had noticed, only to see Jan regarding her with an amused smile. She gave the redhead a sheepish grin and was relieved when Terry claimed her partner's attention.

Lee and Dana arrived to a chorus of greetings from the exuberant crowd, and the big woman made her rounds joking and teasing with her ex-teammates, while the nurse took the chair beside Rhi.

"How's the shoulder doing?" Dana asked, accepting a clean glass from an attentive Solly.

"Healing well according to my personal nurse," Rhi said with a smile, "but driving me crazy with the itching!"

"Well don't scratch too hard," Dana warned as she took a deep sip of her drink, murmuring appreciatively. "You don't want to ruin Dr. Mathieu's great handiwork. Besides the stitches should be mostly dissolved soon, and you'll feel much better."

Rhi watched Dana's obvious pleasure in the beer, and decided to try her drink again. Yuck! Doesn't get any better on the second try! Deciding it must be an acquired taste, she simply kept the drink in her hand while she listened to the din of conversations flowing around her.

Lee finally made her way all around the table and dropped into the seat beside Dana. Snagging her partner's beer, she drained it with a mischievous look.

"Hey, you big goof! That was mine. Get your own," Dana ordered amiably, slapping one solid shoulder.

"And here I thought you loved me," Lee teased. "Would you deny a woman dying of thirst?"

"Have some water if you're dying of thirst, but leave my beer alone," Dana chided, refilling her glass and putting a protective hand over it.

"Water?! Blckk!" Lee motioned Solly over and throwing some bills on his tray, ordered more pitchers of beer.

Rhi leaned over to Marika and whispered, "How do we pay? Do I give my money to the waiter?"

She got a gentle smile and a return whisper, "Already taken care of, Rhi. I chipped in for both of us." Marika gestured at the pile of bills, one table down. Seeing her assistant frown, she shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'll let you get the ice cream after driving lessons this weekend, all right?"

Rhiannon insisted firmly, "Ice cream and lunch." Marika had paid for dinner after work, asserting that it was her congratulatory treat, and while the young assistant didn't have any illusions that she could match the lawyer dollar for dollar, she was determined to carry her own weight.

Marika shook her head ruefully at her stubborn friend, but agreed. "Okay, ice cream and lunch...but I get to choose where we eat."

The assistant looked at her suspiciously, but decided to accept her terms. Negotiations over, Marika said quietly, "Would you prefer a pop?"

Surprised that her boss had noticed, Rhi said, "That's okay. This is fine."

The lawyer smiled and whispered, "Then why do you look like you bit into a lemon?" When Rhi had no ready comeback, Marika looked around for Solly. He was occupied with a table of newcomers, so she stood up and said, "I'll be back in a moment."

Rhi watched her walk to the long, room-length oaken bar before Lee asked her, "So, Lady Mouse, are you ready to hit the Stampede with us in a couple of weeks?"

Straight-faced, Rhi looked at her. "I think so. I've been laying in a good supply of antacids, just in case."

Lee guffawed, and the others around the table joined in. The big woman's capacity for junk food was legendary, and few were foolish enough to try and match her once she hit the Stampede grounds.

Rhi joined in the laughter until her eyes wandered to her boss, and the laughter caught in her throat. Marika was leaning against the bar, deep in conversation with the firefighter, who was tracing one finger down her friend's arm.

Darcy had obviously taken time to clean up before reaching Oly's, as she was no longer in the team uniform. In khaki shorts and a black tank top, the firefighter was an impressive sight, lean muscles clearly evident on long arms and legs, her short black hair slicked back and pale green eyes regarding Marika with obvious intent.

Stunned, Rhi watched as Marika laughed at something her companion said. She was overwhelmed with a desire to march over there and force the firefighter out of the lawyer's personal space. She had to fight to keep herself in her chair, wrestling with the unfamiliar feelings that surged through her. Anger was paramount, and something else...

Someone squatted beside her, and to her surprise, Rhi heard Jan ask softly, "Want to take a walk? Get some fresh air?"

Blindly, Rhi nodded and followed the redhead out of the bar without looking at her boss.

Reaching the sidewalk, she sucked in lungfuls of air, trying to cool her emotions, confused and overwhelmed by what had happened. Jan started walking down the street and Rhi fell into step. She was grateful for the other's woman's silence as she grappled with her own thoughts, trying to make sense of what she was feeling.

They'd gone about two blocks when Jan indicated a low, stone wall enclosing an old house that was now a realtor's office. "Feel like sitting for a minute?"

Rhi didn't say anything, but sat beside the older woman who looked up at the night sky.

"It's too bad the city lights wash the stars out so much, isn't it?" Jan asked casually.

The younger woman grunted, and she went on. "If you never ventured out of the city, you wouldn't know their brilliance, yet it's there all the time. We just can't see it."

Rhi turned her head slowly, wondering confusedly what her companion was talking about. Jan met her gaze compassionately. "Can I tell you a little story?"

Still puzzled, Rhi nodded.

"Last Christmas, I said some things to Terry that I regret to this day. I handled a difficult situation very badly, and sometimes it still amazes me that we got by it."

Surprised, Rhi blurted, "But you two seem so right together!"

Jan smiled. "Uh huh. But it wasn't a smooth ride getting to where we are now." She sighed and leaned forward, resting her hands on the stone wall and rocking a little. "When I fell in love with Terry, I was still married to a man that I also loved very much. I thought she was dating another woman, and even though I knew I had no right to feel the way I did, I couldn't help being overwhelmed with anger, hurt and confusion. I lashed out at her. I can still see the hurt in her eyes, and to this day, I hate that I put that there."

Rhi was quiet, contemplating what she'd been told. Hesitantly she asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

"You looked like you wanted to tear Darcy's arm off, and I'm not sure what you would've said to Marika right then," Jan laughed softly. "I know you don't know me, but I saw myself in you so clearly that I had to get you out of there for a few moments." She gave a self-deprecating shrug. "Maybe I can save you the trouble of learning the hard way, like I did. And..." she paused, "and sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers."

"I don't...I mean, it's not like..." Rhi scowled. She hated feeling out of control.

"Yeah, I know. Been there." Jan looked back up at the sky. "Still, sometimes it's just easier to think when you're out under the stars."

So they sat there silently, and Rhi found herself calming in the non-judgmental, supportive company of the older woman. Finally Jan suggested, "Maybe we should get back before they send out a search party, eh?"

Rhi nodded and stood. Ambling back to the pub, she felt much better. She still didn't quite understand what had happened, but she no longer felt homicidal. Well, it's an improvement anyway. She gave a wry grin. Yeah, like I could've even put a dent in steroid-woman!

They'd almost reached Oly's when Rhi asked curiously, "Who was the woman you thought Terry was dating?"

Jan gave her an enigmatic smile. "It doesn't matter. As it turned out, they were only friends anyway." She held the door open for Rhi and gestured her inside.

As they made their way over to their table, Rhi looked at her companion gratefully. "Thanks. It probably was a good idea to get out for a bit."

Jan nodded. "Anytime, Rhiannon."

Glancing at their table, Rhi found a pair of worried gray eyes focused intently on her. Quickly looking around, she saw Darcy at the far end of the table, chatting intimately with Laurie. She couldn't help a little sigh of relief, and she and Jan parted company as she slid in beside Marika.

"Hey, where did you go? I was looking for you," her boss said with concern.

"Oh, Jan and I were just getting a breath of fresh air," Rhi said casually, smiling at the redhead who was now snuggling under her partner's arm on the opposite side of the table. The two grinned in collusion, and Marika looked between them suspiciously, but didn't question further.

Marika pushed a Coke in front of Rhi. "Here. You'll probably enjoy that a bit more than the draft."

Rhi took an appreciative sip and nodded gratefully at her boss. "That's good, thank you."

She was startled by a chorus of boos breaking out at the far end of the table. Looking down, she saw Gale and Natalie weaving their way to the karaoke machine, arms slung over each other's shoulders.

"Oh no," Dana groaned beside her. Rhi eyed her curiously. "You haven't lived until you've heard these two do karaoke," the nurse explained.

When the two broke into an exuberant, but off-key rendition of 'Bad Moon Rising', Rhi understood.

"Ouch!" Rhi winced, but had to laugh as she saw Marika and the big catcher, Robyn, with their ears plugged until the end of the song.

Catcalls and flying pretzels greeted the duo, who gave back as good as they got, threatening to launch into another song if their teammates didn't show a little appreciation for their talents.

Rhi's jaw dropped when Natalie spun around and mooned the table. Whoops and cheers greeted the display. Lee chortled, "Now that's what I call a 'good moon rising'!" Dana cuffed her, but Rhi noticed she was laughing just as hard as her mate.

Marika leaned closer to Rhi. With a chuckle she said, "They're about to get rowdy. Do you feel like cutting out now? We still have to work in the morning."

"About to get rowdy?" Rhi looked at her doubtfully. "They aren't there yet?"

"Oh, not even close," Marika assured her, standing and coming around to hug Lee and Dana. "See you guys later, all right?" They made their farewells, and Rhi locked eyes with Jan just before they left. She mouthed 'thank you', and got an understanding smile and 'you're welcome' in return.

On the drive home, Marika asked curiously, "Did you have a good time tonight?"

"Yeah, I did. Thanks for taking me."

"You're welcome." The lawyer paused. "So...everything was all right then?"

"Uh huh." Rhi refused to look at her companion, and simply watched the passing scenery.

"Okay. That's good."

Rhi could hear the doubt in her boss' voice, but knew Marika wouldn't press it. When they reached her alley, she unlocked her seatbelt and turned sideways.

Sincerely, the young woman assured her friend, "It really was a good day, Rika. Thank you...for everything."

The gray eyes softened. "You're very welcome. I enjoyed it too."

The women were silent for a long moment, just looking at each other. Then Rhi shook herself slightly and said, "Well, I'd better get going. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow," Marika agreed.

Rhi walked down the alley, stopping at her backyard and looking back to where the Lexus still idled. She raised a hand and waved, then walked up the broken path to her aunt's house.

Continued in Chapter 15